With a Little Help From My Friends
by Mega3085
Summary: When his back is to the wall, and there is no one else to turn to, Inspector Zenigata seeks out the only people who can help him: Lupin III and his gang! They'll travel the world, trying to work together, without killing each other first! Reviews welcome!
1. A Day in the Life

**Chapter 1: A Day in the Life**

The stars sparkled overhead. The moon shone brightly. The man adjusted his jacket, and pulled his fedora a little more securely onto his head. There was a slight chill to the air on that Autumn night in Tokyo. Winter was coming early this year. As they had done so many times before, Lupin and Jigen were standing on the roof of a bank, dressed in all black, in the middle of the night. They were, as usual, up to no good.

"So, you ready with that gizmo, Lupin?"Jigen asked, still unsure of how this plan was going to go off. Still no sign of Pops, though. That was not necessarily a good thing.

Lupin slyly produced an odd-looking device from a small bag he was carrying. It glinted slightly in the light of the full Autumn moon.

"Just you watch, Jigen" Lupin began saying as he pried open the bank vault's super-secure sunroof. "This little baby is gonna get us past that laser grid no problem."

"Hey, whatever, man. But if that thing goes haywire and calls the cops down on us, I'm blaming you."

"Yeah, yeah. Relax a bit, Jigen. Seriously, man, you are way to stressed. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if you just snapped one day." chided Lupin as he slipped the new device in place. His terrific device worked perfectly, making the laser grid guarding the sunroof visible, while at the same time, stretching it enough to allow someone to pass through, if they were a master thief. Luckily, that's just what Lupin was.

"All right, Jigen, you might want to warm up a bit. No telling how long you're gonna have to hold the rope while I'm down there. We're dealing with a very advanced safe. Could take hours. And don't drop me, or that pressure plate will go off, summoning every law enforcement officer within a sixty mile radius."

"Yeah, I know that, man. Jeez, this isn't my first bank job, you know." came Jigen's terse reply

As Lupin tied the rope to the harness around his waist, he asked Jigen, "What's eating you today, man? You seem even more tense than usual. Something on your mind, old buddy?"

"Yeah, actually. I haven't seen him in weeks. And that troubles me."

"I know what you mean. Its creepy not having Pops breathing down my neck every few minutes. Makes the whole world just a bit too quiet." Lupin confirmed.

There was a certain tension in the air, something neither man could quite put his finger on. Zenigata hadn't been around for almost a month. Three whole weeks, and not a peep from the man who's life mission was chasing them down. It made them wonder what he might be planning. But for now, they got away without a hitch at every job they set out on. Didn't even need to trouble Goemon, who had recently taken up other interests. Fujiko was also nowhere to be found, much to the relief of Jigen, and disappointment of Lupin.

After Lupin was securely tied to the thin black rope, Jigen began lowering him down the hole created by the sunroof. He had wrapped the rope around a nearby antenna, probably used for bank communications of some kind. Jigen thought that tapping into that would probably prove more lucrative in the long term than stealing something from the vault. Sweat began forming on his brow as he strained to hold his partner off the floor so he could work.

Every minute seemed like eternity as his muscles screamed at him, begging to be freed from their burden.

"Hey, Lupin! You almost done in there? You ain't no damn lightweight, you know!" Jigen yelled down as he struggled to hold the rope.

"Relax, man! It's a piece of cake. I was kidding about this safe being a problem. Just one more turn to the left... There! Open sesame, sweetie!"

Lupin had managed to decode the combination to the safe, and slowly opened the door. Inside was a diamond. It was big for a diamond. About the right size for a football, though. Lupin's eyes sparkled at the sight of it, the tiniest hint of drool at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, baby, come to Papa! Get over here, you big, shiny thing of beauty" Lupin cooed as he gingerly picked up the diamond, and placed it in a sack.

Jigen had to redouble his efforts at the sudden increase in weight.

"_Man, that thing must weigh half as much as Lupin!" _he thought to himself._"Gonna make us a fortune off of that baby!"_

"All right, Jigen, you can pull us up now!"

"Easy for you to say! I'm already having a hard enough time just holding you in place! You seriously need to go on a diet, Lupin." Jigen managed to grunt out as he began walking backwards, the thin black rope tearing at his hands.

"Steady now, you drop me and it's all over. One touch on this pressure plate on the floor here, and the cops will be all over this place like filth on a sewer." Lupin called up. He knew Jigen was aware of this, but no need to be reckless now.

"Yeah, I know, I know. Jeez, man, where's Goemon when I need him? The two of us together could lift you out, no problem." Hang on, I've almost got you free. Don't hit your head on that laser grid thing, man."

"I'm watching it, I'm watching it." Deftly and cautiously, Lupin curled into a ball to fit past the laser grid that guarded the sunroof of the bank vault.

"_Honestly, who puts a sunroof in a bank vault? That's just asking for someone to break in. Of course, no one except me actually_ could _break in_." Lupin thought with pride. The device he procured to spread the beams of the laser grid just wide enough for him to fit through was a lucky find. Some old geezer in a lab somewhere might miss it, but at least it was going to good use.

Once safely back on the rooftop, Lupin untied his harness as Jigen sat down, exhausted. The two didn't speak for a bit, as the night air chilled them both.

Finally, after some time, Jigen broke the protracted silence.

"Too easy, man. Way too easy." He managed to say between gasps of air.

"I hear that. It's like the whole world is our oyster, but I'm sick of shellfish. You know what I mean?" Lupin replied.

"I think you've nailed the feeling exactly. I'm starting to worry that Pops is planning something big. Something neither one of us will get out of." Jigen replied, just as another thought crossed his mind.

At seeing the surprised, almost saddened look on his long-time partner's face, Lupin's curiosity was piqued. "What are you thinking about over there, chum?" He inquired.

"Well, what if Pops isn't planning anything. What if something happened to him. The kind of something you don't wake up from. I hate to say it, man, but short of the hand of God himself, what else could stop him from coming after us?"

Lupin would never admit it, but the idea of a world without Zenigata frightened him a little. What good is being the world's greatest thief if there's no one to almost get caught by?

"Nah, that old geezer will outlive all of us. You know that as well as I do. Besides, I'd hate to be the Angel of Death to tell that guy he can't chase us anymore."

Jigen wasn't so sure. He told Lupin, "I'm not so sure. Anyway, let's get back to the hotel room. We have to call the buyer, and arrange delivery.

"Right behind you, chief. Just let me get my gear in order." Lupin responded as he gathered up his new laser grid device and black rope, making sure to be extra careful with the newly acquired diamond.


	2. Zenigata's Letter

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who read chapter1! Here's chapter two,a day ahead of my self-imposed weekly schedule. I hope you all enjoy, and please take the time to review. This is my first fanfic, and I'd appreciate some feedback and pointers.

Oh, and the fact that some idiot put a sunroof in a bank vault will become plot-relevant a little further down the road.

**Chapter 2: Zenigata's Letter**

The penthouse suite at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo was beautiful. The way it managed to combine Western opulence with Eastern refinement was breathtaking. Any visitor would be awestruck at the very sight of it. But Lupin and Jigen were not just any visitors. Their minds were on other matters.

"So, let's have a look at that rock, man. I want to see what all the fuss was about." Jigen said while almost drooling, a lustful look in his eye.

"Prepare yourself, brother. This is no ordinary shiny bauble. I give you: The Light of Surinagal!" Lupin responded, as he slowly pulled the football-sized diamond out of it's bag.

The facets of that large of a diamond reflected a dazzling radiance into the room, such that the single overhead light was amplified into a torrent of brilliance. The diamond itself was flawless, masterfully cut, and enormous. It was heavy, weighing about as much as a watermelon.

"Wow... Wow, man, that thing is gorgeous." was all Jigen managed to say.

"Yeah, it almost seems a shame to sell it off. But, that is how we get paid. So, why don't you sit here with the big shiny, while I give that buyer a call on the secure line." Lupin offered while walking off to the phone.

"Meh, you hold on to it. I've got other things to worry about. Like where Zenigata might spring that trap he must be working on." was Jigen's reply.

"Suit yourself, chief. Just thought I'd offer a look before we sold it off. Anyway, don't get too lost in thought on that. It's a good thing Pops has been out of our hair."Lupin reminded his friend while walking off.

"Yeah, sure." was all Jigen could manage.

In reality, his mind wandered. Mostly, he thought about the crew. Himself. Goemon. Even Fujiko. And their fearless, if not slightly crazy, leader, Lupin III. All the good times. And they did have some good times. Great heists. With these people, he had become a legend in his own time. The most respected marksman in the world. But a man is only as good as the company he keeps. And he kept some high-profile company.

Goemon Ishikawa. The finest swordsman to ever walk the Earth. It was said that if Goemon could face Musashi, the father of sword fighting, it would end in a draw. This was the highest praise a swordsman could ever hope to receive. It was also said that if God were to stand in Goemon's way, God would be cut. And although the man was hard to read, Jigen was proud to think that Goemon considered him a friend.

Millions of faces. Millions of names. Millions of personalities. And you would believe any one of them. But they were all fake. Fujiko Mine had the uncanny ability to convince anyone that she was whoever she wanted to be at the time. A handy skill, considering her chosen line of work. She got the squad through a few tough spots with a well placed word, delivered with just the right accent, in the right clothing. She's even fooled him on a few occasions. Indeed, her loyalties lay only with herself, in the end. Poor Lupin. Would he never see that?

The grandson of the greatest thief of his time could do no less than become the greatest thief of any time. Surely, Lupin could steal anything that wasn't nailed down. Hell, nine times out of ten, nails wouldn't stop him. Nothing could. The world was his for the taking. Except one man always got in his way. You could call him the fifth man in their four man crew. The Inspector.

Good old Pops. Inspector Zenigata of Interpol. Assigned as his first official case with the agency, it was rotten luck to get pinned with the an unstoppable team of thieves. He had become a constant companion, almost like a second shadow, a part of themselves. Like it or not, Pops was a member of the gang. It was strange not having him around.

Jigen was brought out of his reverie by the sound of Lupin having an argument.

"Three? No frickin way, man! I won't take a penny less than four! That was the deal, and you know it!" Lupin raged.

Jigen' only looked up at his long-time friend. He usually let Lupin handle all of the deals. Why do the talking, when you have a silver-tonged devil to do it for you?

"Look, dude, I don't have a problem with finding another buyer. I've got four other offers lined up as we speak. If you really don't want to pay a fair price, I'll just give them a call." chided Lupin. Silence prevailed for a minute. "Alright. That's more like it. So, we agree? Good, good. We'll see you at the place, at the time. Alright, no funny business, now, or you can kiss this little rock goodbye." Lupin said before hanging up the phone. Pleased with himself, he returned to Jigen in the parlor, and sat across from him.

"So, we all set, Lupin?" Jigen asked, as though he didn't know the answer.

"Of course, chum, of course. No worries on that front. A four hundred thousand dollar take. Fifty fifty split sound good?" Lupin said with a sly look of arrogance from his own negotiating skills.

"I'm not sure. Seems I did most of the work, holding your heavy ass up that whole time. You need to lose weight." Jigen replied coolly.

"What? Are you kidding me? You know we've always gone fifty fifty, straight down the middle! You want to change it up now, man?" a shocked Lupin exclaimed, looking a bit hurt.

"Relax, I'm just busting your balls, pal. Fifty fifty's the way we do it. Always was, always will be." Jigen assured his startled friend. "I'm just on edge with this whole Pops thing."

"Yeah, alright. That's understandable. In all reality, " Lupin began, when he was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Now who could that be? You order room service, Jigen?"

"Not me. You were on the phone the whole time. I couldn't have even if I wanted to. Did you order something before calling the buyer?" He responded.

"Nope, not me. Alright, get ready. We don't know who's on the other side of that door. Usual protocol. I open the door, you watch my back."

"Got it." Jigen confirmed.

Jigen took up a position behind the couch, out of line-of-sight of the door, and drew his gun. Lupin walked slowly and quietly to the door, making sure not to be directly in line with the doorway either. You can never be too safe. As he approached the door, another knock came. A tiny voice accompanied it this time.

"Messenger, sir." said a weak voice in Japanese.

Lupin opened the door, making sure to stay behind it, out of sight as it swung open. In the doorway stood a messenger, wearing a gray uniform. The messenger's view was not what he expected.

Behind the couch, a man with a fedora had a gun trained on him. The messenger was not visibly shaken by this fact. It happened in Tokyo all the time, with the Yakuza in town. But that never made it any easier.

"Message for you, sir." he managed to choke out. He gasped in fear as Lupin swung out from behind the door.

"We'll see about that, kid." Lupin said as he looked up and down the hallway. Satisfied the kid was alone, he let him in the room. "Alright, let's have it. What's the story."

"I have a message for a Mister Lupin and Mister Jigen." he almost whispered.

Lupin was shocked by this. "Who knows we're here, kid? How did they know to find us?"

"I can't say as I know, sir. I just deliver the message." the kid said, gaining a bit of confidence.

"Okay, wise guy. Give me that message, then. And here," Lupin added, handing the kid a large sum of money, "let's keep the gun-in-the-face thing between us, okay?"

"You got it, boss." the kid beamed, taking the money and leaving.

Lupin closed the door, put his gun back in it's holster, and looked at the letter in his hand. He almost dropped it when he read the envelope.

"You can stop worrying now, Jigen." he called to his friend.

"Stop worrying about what?" Jigen replied as he stood up from behind the couch, returning his own gun to it's proper place.

"Pops, man. Pops. This letter's from him."

"Wow, you sure? That's a trip. Well, open it up, let's see what it says. I'm curious what he's been up to."

"Okay, here we go..." Lupin began reading.

_To Lupin and Jigen_

_This letter is to serve as official notice of, and request of your attendance to, a meeting. I have very important matters to discuss with the two of you. I have arranged a table at Big Bertha's in New Orleans. I ask for a temporary truce during the meeting, and offer the same in kind. We are to meet at six pm on the night of September Third. I make this request not as an officer of the law to his quarry, but as a free man to two other free men, and as such ensure your freedom with my own life. I have had the head of the Yakuza where you are staying insure this letter, so you may know it is not a trap._

_Sincerely,_

_Inspector Zenigata_

"Wow, man. That's heavy. He must be pretty serious." Jigen said.

"That's one of Pops' traps, if you ask me." Lupin scoffed.

"No way, man." Jigen retorted. "He's having us meet him at Big Bertha's. There's no way he'd pull a stunt in that place. It would be suicide. It's a safe-haven for low-life's. In all reality, we'll be safer in that place than he will."

"I see" Lupin came back."Well, he's got my interest piqued. You want to go check it out, see what could be so urgent?"

"Good thing we set up that deal for the Light of Surinagal, then." Jigen confirmed. "Gonna get some nice plane tickets. Look out New Orleans, here we come!"


End file.
